The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-11-03

paratively little moisture, ard IN no
respect do these lands differ more
widely from others than IN thorough
drainage. There is difference OF
opinion as to new lands. In the west
crn counties of the State, where the
growth OF tobacco is quite recent, new
land is almost altogether planted, but
in the older counties, planters have
learned to conserve their Old lands
and TO raise upon them tobacco OF the
best quality by the judicions use OF
fertilizers, and no longer depend upon
clearing. All agree, however, that
very fine quality OF leaf is grown on
new lands. Some lands will produce
a fair fancy wrapper one or two sea-
sons and never after. 1t is also gen
orally agreed that the first crop is very
fine and most easily cured, but lacks
the body and uniformity of texture
and color of the second years growth
! on the best tobacco lands.
USE OF FERTILIZERS AND MANURES.
Fertilizers are applied upon new as
well as upon old lands. In the older
tobacco counties, cases are given where
tobacco has been grown upon land for
twenty years in succession without de
crease in yield or deterioration in quail
ty; but, always with the aid of manures.
Such lands appear to possess perma-
nent qualities, which nee1 only the
addition of fertilizers and manures !;
and it is believed, with proper care
and rotation, most Of them can be
kept up indefinitely. The mechanical
condition of the soil, and the absence
of certain inorganic elements have
more to do with the production of fine
tobacco than supply Of plant food.
This soil is, indeed, sponge which
receives and retains just fertilizers
enough to bring the plant to the
proper size, when they become exhaust
ed, and the plant goes into gradual
decline, growing more and more yell
low and more and more delicate in
tissue, until it is cut. Too much
manure will destroy the fine qualities
of the leaf, impairing its color and in
creasing its Coarseness.
THE BEST TOBACCO LANDS.
Old fields Of the proper soil which
have been worn out and abandoned
make, when cleared of their new
growth, the best tobacco lands. They
are generally overgrown with pines,
with an underground Of whortleberry,
chlnquepins and other bushes, the pine
growing to two feet in diameter in
about twenty-five years. About IS or
20 years are required for the resus-
citation of old worn out lands. One
such field was planted in corn in 1850
and the yield was SO poor that the
fence was removed. In 1876 it was
cleared of its pine growth and planted
IN tobacco, which brought fifty cents a
pound for the whole crop. This field
has been cultivated in tobacco for five
successive years, and the last crop was
better than the first. The land was
treated the first year with 200 lbs of a
fertilizer and has since received yearly
applications Of stable manure and fer
tilizer in the drill. These old pine
fields, when they have gray, sandy
soil, and yellow sub-soil are the best
oftobacco lands. Aman selected a few
acres which had grown up in bald faced
spanish oaks, scrub hickory, chinquepin
; and sour wood, all indicative of very
poor land, and the crop raised sold for
fifty cents pound at the barn door.
When the soil is of the right kind, old
fields which have lain for years in
''broom sedge" or broom grass, grow
the very finest tobacco, while they are
almost worthless for other crops. This
''sedge" is turned under in the fall be-
fore frost, and tobacco is planted the
next spring. A Southern exposure is
, generally sought for fine tobacco.
This soil is drier and warmer and the
plant natures earlier. The rich black
soil of Northern slopes will not pro-
duce fine tobacco, while few yards
off on the other slope the finest may
be grown. The bright tobacco soils
are very irregularly distributed form
; ing, even in the most favored counties
small proportion of the whole area
So controlling is the constitution Of
the soil, that a part of the same farm
and even Of the same field, may pro-
duce the finest brands known in the
market, and the other part be wholly
incapable of making anything better
thln the commonest article. The
quality of the tobacco is determined
absolutely in the field before cutting
and no manipulation in the handling
or curing will make g fancy bright"
tobacco out of plant of inferior tex
, ture and color of leaf, although the
best grades may fail and be spoiled in
, the curing. As a general statement,
the bright tobacco patches and belts
!, OF land are found on the ridges and
benches, the divides between the water
courses. Wherever there is found on
these ridges a subsoil of gray or yell
lowish gravelly, or sandy loan, COW
; cred with a gray, sandy or gravelly
soil, the bright tobacco may be grown.
These favorable conditions of soil are
always indicated by the native growth.
This growth, is usually of stunted oaks,
chiefly post oak and white oak, gen
eral1y N, ~ -rlaj ,,.;tl ,,;oo. o1l .a.